Capital Law allows Hanoi to cut off electricity and water to constructions that violate planning regulations

On the morning of June 28, the National Assembly passed the Capital Law with a vote of 462/470 delegates present in favor.

One of the notable contents is that the law stipulates that in cases where it is absolutely necessary to ensure security, order and social safety in the city, the Chairman of the People's Committee at all levels of Hanoi can apply measures to request the suspension of electricity and water supply to construction works, production and business establishments.

The capital needs to have higher requirements

This regulation applies to construction works that are not in accordance with planning, construction works without a construction permit for construction works that are required to have a permit or construction works that are not in accordance with the contents specified in the construction permit; construction works that are not in accordance with the approved construction design for cases exempted from a construction permit.

At the same time, construction works on encroached land according to the provisions of the law on land; construction works subject to approval of fire prevention and fighting (PCCC) design that are carried out without a certificate or document approving the design on PCCC are also subject to the scope of this regulation.

In addition, the measure of cutting off electricity and water is also applied to construction works that are not in accordance with approved fire prevention and fighting designs; construction works and production and business establishments that have not been accepted for fire prevention and fighting but have been put into operation; dance hall and karaoke service establishments that do not ensure fire prevention and fighting safety conditions; construction works that must be demolished and have been subject to an emergency relocation decision.

The City People's Council shall specify in detail the applicable cases, applicable authority and implementation of measures to request the suspension of electricity and water services.

The passed law also clearly stipulates the responsibility of electricity and water service providers in stopping the provision of services immediately upon request from competent authorities.

Accordingly, electricity and water service providers must notify service users and state this in the electricity and water service contract.

For contracts for the provision of electricity and water services in Hanoi that were signed before the effective date of the law, the parties to the contract are responsible for supplementing the contract or contract appendix to show the content related to the suspension of electricity and water services when requested by competent authorities.

The fine is higher but not more than twice the general level.

In addition, the law allows the Hanoi City People's Council to prescribe a fine that is higher but not more than twice the general fine prescribed by the Government and not exceeding the maximum fine prescribed by law on handling administrative violations for a number of corresponding administrative violations.

The above fines are applied in the following areas: Culture, advertising, land, construction, fire prevention, food safety, road traffic, environmental protection, security, order, and social safety in the city.

The Capital Law consists of 7 chapters and 54 articles, effective from January 1, 2025, except for some provisions that will take effect later, from July 1, 2025, such as the establishment of commercial and cultural development zones; controlled testing...